Missionary experience passed on
Missionary Jason Mellinger told how a short trip into a tribe to repair some wiring led to a frightening experience. He used this story to teach students at the Missionary Training Center in Camdenton, Missouri, about their experiences while visiting a tribe.
The first thing he noticed was that the people in the village were basically unfriendly and didn’t seem to want him there. Then one of the missionaries working among that tribe told Jason that the people are angry with the missionaries because they’ve been there several years and haven’t revealed their “secrets” yet.
A few years ago a cult was formed and one of the tribal leaders declared that he was the messiah. He told the villagers that the only way to heaven was if you had a picture taken with him. That led to the insistence that everyone should bow before him and kiss his hand.
The people had a partial introduction to the Gospel in the past, but had perverted that into some strange variation of the truth. The missionaries were learning the culture and language of the people but were not yet fluent enough to present any Bible lessons.
When Jason wanted a bark basket for his wife, Jonie, he went to the village to buy one, but found no men there. He was told they were all away preparing for a festival. That night the ceremonies began with blowing the trumpet all night to awaken the spirits of the forest so that they would help summon the most powerful spirit, Satan.
One man said, “Do not go to the end of the village, we have asked the devil to come to us from his tree and he is there. We have been speaking to him and he is speaking to us. If you listen you will hear his voice.”
Jason listened and heard the chanting of the men deeper in the jungle. Periodically the chants became frenzied, echoing eerily around the village. Then silence, followed by the mournful sound of a flute, a sad, haunting sound – not really music – floating over the village from somewhere in the jungle.
One man told the missionaries that Satan had promised to destroy them if they went into his territory. After the warning he walked away into the darkness.
Jason could not sleep that night and found that only talking to Jesus, the One who casts out fear, could give him the peace to rest easily as the people summoned spirits.
Pray for the missionaries who are learning culture and language. Pray that when they begin to teach the people will be receptive. Pray too for Jason and Jonie as they minister among students at the missionary training center and use their experiences in tribal situations to help the students understand cross-cultural communication.